FORT WORTH, TEXAS (WordNews.org) Sept. 23, 2011 — A high school student here was given in-school suspension for saying in class that he opposed homosexuality, Liberty Counsel, who is representing the student said.

Dakota Ary told a friend that he thought homosexuality was wrong because of his Christian faith. Liberty Counsel is representing Dakota in this case, demanding full vindication and a full retraction of the suspension. If the school board does not comply, a lawsuit will be filed for violation of Ary’s First Amendment rights.

Fox News interviews the student

Liberty said Dakota was in a German language class at Western Hills High School on Tuesday when the topic of homosexuality arose.
“I’m a Christian and, to me, being homosexual is wrong,” Dakota said to one of his classmates. His teacher overheard the comment, wrote Dakota an infraction, and sent him to the principal’s office. Liberty said the topic of that day’s class was religious beliefs of Germans.

During the discussion, one student asked what Germans thought about homosexuality in relation to religion. Another student then asked to hear some translated terms such as “lesbian.” These questions provoked the conversation about Christianity and Dakota’s expression of his opinion to one classmate, Liberty said.

The discipline referral form says the comment was out of context, even though the lesson for the day was on religious beliefs, Liberty Counsel said. The teacher charged Dakota with “possible bullying” and indicated, “It is wrong to make such a statement in public school.”

Liberty said last week the teacher displayed a picture of two men kissing on a “World Wall” and told the students that homosexuality is becoming more prevalent in the world and that they should just accept it. Many of the students were offended by the teacher’s actions and his continually bringing up the topic of homosexuality in a German language class, Liberty Counsel said.